Over the last several years I've tried to do some things to reduce my stress level. Unless you are completely new to this blog, or to me, you know that running is one of those things. This blog is another one of those things I've done to reduce stress, as it provides me an opportunity to "vent" at times. A few years back I stepped down from a supervisor position at work in order to reduce stress. In this "search" for a more relaxed me, I've also become more spiritual (if that's the right word).
I was talking to a co-worker this afternoon and began talking about some of the changes that are about to take place here where I work. I think the fact that I've been actively working on lowering my stress level will help when it comes to all the changes. They are changes that I regard as positive. But positive or negative, changes...especially major changes, create stress, and these are, what I would consider to be major changes. I made the comment that the next year will be "fun". The co-worker used the word "entertaining". Although they may sound the same, they are very different, and I think his term is probably more accurate than mine. Don't get me wrong, I will have fun over this next year, but some of what is going to happen may not be "fun", but it will most certainly be entertaining.
We spoke some about the changes and what would happen and then spoke of how much we know, or how "in the loop" we were. That's when it kind of dawned on me that sometimes being in the loop can create more stress than it relieves. Through the changes that have been coming we've been kept pretty well in the loop here, while others have not been. In those cases, knowing a little about what was happening helped to keep our stress levels down, while hearing and listening to the possibilities and rumors has undoubtedly contributed to the stress level of others. It helped me to realize that I don't need to know what I don't need to know. I feel pretty comfortable knowing that I'll be told what things I need to know at work. So if I don't know the story on something, I'm confident that I really don't need to know, cuz if I need to know I'll be told, but if I'm not told then I don't need to know. Ya know?
Basically I realized that not being "in the know" can be one of those things that reduces stress. More often than not, being in the loop just means that you know a lot about the rumors and half truths that are circulating anyway. On top of that someone who is "in the know" adds their own spin on things, and that speculation becomes someone else's fact and by the time the story gets through a few people it becomes so distorted those who think they know what happened or what's going to happen have no clue.
I was talking to a co-worker this afternoon and began talking about some of the changes that are about to take place here where I work. I think the fact that I've been actively working on lowering my stress level will help when it comes to all the changes. They are changes that I regard as positive. But positive or negative, changes...especially major changes, create stress, and these are, what I would consider to be major changes. I made the comment that the next year will be "fun". The co-worker used the word "entertaining". Although they may sound the same, they are very different, and I think his term is probably more accurate than mine. Don't get me wrong, I will have fun over this next year, but some of what is going to happen may not be "fun", but it will most certainly be entertaining.
We spoke some about the changes and what would happen and then spoke of how much we know, or how "in the loop" we were. That's when it kind of dawned on me that sometimes being in the loop can create more stress than it relieves. Through the changes that have been coming we've been kept pretty well in the loop here, while others have not been. In those cases, knowing a little about what was happening helped to keep our stress levels down, while hearing and listening to the possibilities and rumors has undoubtedly contributed to the stress level of others. It helped me to realize that I don't need to know what I don't need to know. I feel pretty comfortable knowing that I'll be told what things I need to know at work. So if I don't know the story on something, I'm confident that I really don't need to know, cuz if I need to know I'll be told, but if I'm not told then I don't need to know. Ya know?
Basically I realized that not being "in the know" can be one of those things that reduces stress. More often than not, being in the loop just means that you know a lot about the rumors and half truths that are circulating anyway. On top of that someone who is "in the know" adds their own spin on things, and that speculation becomes someone else's fact and by the time the story gets through a few people it becomes so distorted those who think they know what happened or what's going to happen have no clue.
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